NI Women Maintain Longer Life Expectancy

Women in Northern Ireland continue to experience a longer, average life expectancy than their male counterparts, according to statistics released by the Department of Health.

'Health and Social Care Inequalities Monitoring System: Life Expectancy Decomposition' covers changes in Northern Ireland life expectancy from 2001-03 and 2008-10.

In 2008-10 male life expectancy reached 77.1 years, signifying a 1.5 years increase from 2001-03.

Female life expectancy increased by 1.0 year to reach 81.5 years in 2008-10.

These improvements were mainly driven by falling mortality within the population aged 60 years and over and reduced mortality due to circulatory disease, according to the report.

In 2008-10 the gender gap stood at 4.4 years, with female life expectancy higher than males.

Lower mortality rates within the female population aged 60 years and over were the largest contributor to the gender gap.

In terms of cause of death, higher mortality for males due to circulatory disease was the largest contributor to the gap.

The figures were slightly different in deprived areas, however, which have seen improvements in mortality rates for men.

Higher mortality among females aged 60 years and over in deprived areas contributed to three-fifths of the deprivation gap, while the equivalent figure for males was two-fifths.

Circulatory disease and cancer combined accounted for more than half of the male deprivation gap while accidents and suicide accounted for a further fifth.

Higher cancer mortality in the most deprived areas was the largest contributor to the female deprivation gap.

The results show a lower mortality rate in 2008-10 in rural areas across all age groups and cause-of-death categories.

For both genders, the gap between life expectancy in Northern Ireland and its rural areas stood at 1.6 years in 2008-10, representing an increase from 2001-03 of 60% for males and 50% for female.

A reduction in smoking related mortality has increased both male and female life expectancy in Northern Ireland as a whole; including in the most deprived areas.

Smoking continues to have a large impact on the life expectancy deprivation gap.

(IT/CD)